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#5
21st June 2006, 05:40 AM
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I don't think that it's time to get too hyped up about the move to the new airport. As it stands right now, NONE of the major international carriers (BA, KLM, NWA, etc) have agreed to fly ANY of their planes into the new airport because of the dangers involved in flying there:
1. The bird population was never moved. Whenever you open a new airport, you need to "move" the bird population in order to avoid bird strikes. This has never been done. Since the new airport is built on a swamp there are (by airline estimations) thousands of birds living within a few metres of the runways. 2. The runways are not safe. The "authorities" who built the runways were paid of top quality tarmac but used in ONLY in front of the terminals. As you go down the runways, they used cheaper quality which is NOT expected to be able to stand up to the weight of planes landing and taking off. You've already seen pictures in the BKK Post of the cracks in the tarmac. These problems have NOT been fixed. 3. The runways are currently sinking back into the swamp. Sad, but true. 4. The Airport Authority of Thailand has refused to allow any of the major international carriers access into the new terminals. It can take up to six months to completely set up an airline's computer system, baggage system, etc and be ready for operation. According to the Caretaker "Prime Minister" the new airport will be opened on 28 September. That's just 3 months from now. 5. Virtually ALL foreign architectual, construction and engineering firms are bailing out as quickly as possible.....BEFORE the place opens up. They're all well aware of the problems and don't want to have their firms' names attached to anything that all of them are considering a "disaster waiting to happen". 6. According to a friend of mine's husband (whose firm is in charge of overseeing construction) "Plane crashes are absolutely inevitible IF this new airport is allowed to open." His firm has allerted the AOT on more occasions than he can count about more problems than he can list and each and every time, absolutely NOTHING has been done about any of his firm's recommendations. As it stands right now, he's closing up shop here and getting the hell out of the country. Now, I don't like to be a nay-sayer, but my friend's husband has made me promise that, whenever I leave Thailand, I'll take the train to ANYWHERE and then fly from there. And, please don't think that I'm any kind of authority on airport safety....I'm only reporting what I've heard.       |
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#8
23rd June 2006, 12:58 AM
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Whichever year it is, the first rule with new airports is - BEWARE! - even those which claim they have been tested with thousands of dummy travellers! There will inevitably be mistakes galore, planes will be directed to the wrong gates, airbridge operators will get totally lost, luggage will end up on the wrong planes or even lost. Worse still, at Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok the underground driverless mini-train got a glitch on the first evening and backtracked into a siding where it was stuck for more than 2 hours before anyone noticed! End result - more than a hundred passengers missed their flights to Europe. I will go nowhere near Suvarnabumi for at least a week. Hopefully by then the systems may be working properly - but I wonder!!
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#9
23rd June 2006, 02:41 AM
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At this very moment the rail connection Suvarnabhumi - BKK is "under construction". I cycle past large part of the proposed track most every day. Nothing remotely close to being finished. They're not even laying the pilons as yet. Will take at least a full year, most likely a lot longer before it is ready.
Road connection: Exactly the same. "Under Construction". There is a road connection, yes. If you care to spend several hours stuck more solid than the concrete on the runways is. Even assuming everything else is finished on time, one still has nothing. Unless one is choppered in and out. |
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#10
23rd June 2006, 04:27 AM
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Dom Muang Airport to close
Industry hopes for smooth opening Don Muang airport decision welcomed BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA Bangkok Post Although airlines remain sceptical about whether Suvarnabhumi airport will be ready for commercial use on Sept 28, they have welcomed the government's decision to close Don Muang airport. Airlines and industry groups contacted by the Bangkok Post were not convinced that the new airport would open when scheduled and warned that rushing operations could result in costs and embarrassment for the country. At a briefing on the airport's progress on Monday, caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced that the airport would open for commercial services on Sept 28. Mr Thaksin also decided to revert to the original single-airport policy, which was not to retain Don Muang for scheduled domestic and low-cost carrier flights. ''It does not look like it will be ready and I am absolutely certain it cannot be opened on that date,'' said an aviation executive who has been closely monitoring the 125-billion-baht airport development. The runways and terminal may be able to accommodate flights by Sept 28, but the airlines are unlikely to be ready by then, he said. Contrary to what the authorities have suggested, it is not yet clear when airlines would be able to set up their offices at the Suvarnabhumi terminal and some don't even know where they will be located. ''That is just one simple matter, not to mention more much complex technical issues such as the computer and baggage systems, their readiness remains a mystery to us,'' he said. Airlines need at least three months' notice to set up at the terminal. ''What is important is not the opening date, but to have Suvarnabhumi airport begin commercial operations only when it is operationally ready,'' said Albert Tjoeng, the Asia-Pacific spokesman for the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents almost all of the world's airlines. ''This means having undergone the required robust and comprehensive testing and trials to ensure that the various systems are working 100% and are seamlessly integrated,'' he said. ''Let's not forget that airports are no longer the bricks and mortar of the old days, today's airports use incredibly complex automated systems. ''The airport will only be open once. We want it to be a safe and successful opening and cost-efficient in order to be a successful hub. No one wants the cost or embarrassment of a troubled opening.'' IATA yesterday welcomed the announcement that all commercial flights would be moved to Suvarnabhumi when it opens _ which it has long advocated. But some budget carriers, especially Thai AirAsia, were not happy with the announcement. They had hoped Don Muang would have offered lower airport services and have greater flexibility than Suvarnabhumi. ''Commercial operations using two airports would have been costly to maintain, and can be complicated for passengers, especially for those making connections,'' said Mr Tjoeng. ''While having all flights at one airport would have a positive effect on Suvarnabhumi's potential as a hub, the more important issue is to ensure operational readiness and cost efficiency when Suvarnabhumi opens to maximise Bangkok's potential as a hub in the region.'' Bangkok Post |
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#11
23rd June 2006, 04:33 AM
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Gany,
The rail link is at least three years away from completion, but so what? Don Muang has NEVER had a rail link. The road connection is just fine already. I've timed it, and it is no more than 10 minutes longer to Silom. I think we're all going to enjoy this new airport when it is opened and the inevitable kinks worked out. Don Muang has been a disgrace for decades. I don't get all the negativity about the new airport, except that expats tend to be a bunch of pretty negative people. |
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#12
23rd June 2006, 05:22 AM
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Please don't get me wrong! I am certain it will be a huge boon to travel - once the kinks are ironed out. Then we will all wonder how on earth we put up with Don Muang! My only issue is that every new airport has problems in the first days. Think of the horrendous logistical nightmare of transferring everything - everything! - by road between the arrival of the last flight into Don Muang and departure of the first from Suvarnabumi only 7 or so hours later! My rule is therefore to avoid it completely in that time. If for any reason I have to travel, I will arrive at least 4 hours in advance, pay to get into a lounge if I have to, take only on-board luggage, walk to the gate (no automated people movers) and get there at least 30 minutes before departure - and take tons of reading materials! And of course, just enjoy the eye candy!
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#13
23rd June 2006, 06:04 AM
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